Safety razor



1931- I R. THOMPSON 1,820,408

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Nov. 17, 1930 "Film" avwemtoz .Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE I -RALPH E. THOMPSON, F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GILLETTE- SAFETY RAZOR COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SAFETY RAZOR Application filed November 17, 1930. Serial No. 496,165.

This invention relates to safety razors, and has as its general object to improve the facilities for adjusting the degree of exposure of the cutting edges of safety razors employing transversely flexible blades.

In the ordinary safety razor the blade edges are positioned exactly by being clamped between the cap and guard members of the I holder, no variations of 'theamount of exposure of the edges of the clamped blade being available to the user. It is desirable to have available on a safety razor means for adjusting the amount of exposure of a blade ed e for two reasons:

irst The edge exposure defined by the position of the blade between the cap and guard members of a holder is not always correct, due to varyingdimensions of the various elements of a razor, which may be in turn due to manufacturing inequalities. For example, it is diflicult to manufacture a large number ofblades having exactly thesame width, and it is almost impossible to manufacture a large number of cap and guard members which will be exact duplicatesv of the desired'standard.

Second. All shavers do not desire safety razors having "the same degree of edgeexposure. This may be due to different skin conditions or due to the particular shaving habits of an individual.

According tothis (invention, improved means are provided for adjusting the amount of exposure of each shaving edge of a safety screws mounted in either the cap or guard member which may be adjusted to hold the cap and guard separated an amount depending upon the adjustment desired.

The invention will now be explained with Y the adjusting screws have their position reference to an illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, of which: x i

Fig. 1 is an elevation view looking down along the handle of 'an assembledsafety razor;

Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of thesafety razor shown by Fig. 1, taken along the lines 22 of Fig. 1;- a

'6, shown by Fig. 5, is provided with the ormodation of the adjusting screws 11.

they exert no pressure on the cap member 12, the edges of the blade 6 have their lowest exposure and give the closest shave. When all of the screws 11 are screwed in, to sepmember 10, an increased ,edge exposure of the blade isobtained, which results in a closer shave,' this degree of exposure depending, of course, upon the amount the adjusting screws 7 have been screwed into the cap member.

razor employing'transversely flexible blades. This is accomplished by having adjusting "the position of maximum edge exposure.

Fig. 3 is an end sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1;- v

Fig. 4 is a partial endview of a razor. showing extreme adjustment of the adjusting screws, and p g G5. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a-safety razor; blade, according to this invention. 7

Referring now to the drawings, the blade dinary positioning openings 7 through which 6Q the positioning studs on the capmember extend, the central opening 8 through whichthe threaded stud of the cap member extends, and the four smaller openings 9 for the accom- 05. As shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4., the guard member 10 is provided with the four adjusting screws 11 which are adapted to pass with clearance through the holes 9 in the blade. These adjusting screws serve to hold' the cap member 12 and the guard member 10 apart the desired distance, as determined by the degreeof adjustment of" the screws 11. When the screws are withdrawn, so that ar'ate the cap member 12 from the guard Fig. 4 illustrates the extreme position of member can beheld so far away from the guard member 'that the blade is not even flexed when clamped, This corresponds to It isnot necessary, of course, that all of changed ata given time. For example, only the adjusting screws atone end of the guard may be adjusted to change'the edge expohave one end of the bladehave more edge ex-.

' posure'than the other, when shaving next to the ears, for example This invention provides means for changing the edge exposure of a blade to'correct for manufacturing inequalities,and to exactly suit the individual requirements of the shaver.

Whereas one or more embodiments of this invention have been described for the pur: pose of illustration, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to the exact details described, as many departures may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will be noted that the ends of the adjusting screws 11 are reduced and pass through the openings 9 in'the blade with appreciable clearance.

The clamping and flexing action of the cap and guard upon the blade is, therefore, not interfered with and the bladeis accurately positioned and shaped by these members when the handle of the rasition, cap and guard members for clamping said blade, and an adjustablejextension on each end of one of said members. for spacing said members a desired distance apart, said extensions being shaped topassfreely through the perforations of the bladevvithout interfering with the flexing thereof.

tance apart, ,said blade having clearance openings for the passage of said threaded member.

5. A safety razor comprising, in combination, a blade adapted to be transversely flexed when clampedinshaving position, cap and uard members for clamping said blade, and an adjustable member threaded into said guard member and contacting with said cap member for spacing said members a desired distance apart, said blade having a clearance opening for the passage of said threaded member.

Signed at Boston,- Massachusetts, this 14th day of November, 1930. l

, RALPH E. THOMPSON.

2. A safety razor comprising, in combination, a perforated blade adapted to be t'ransversely flexed when clamped in shaving position,cap and guardmembers for clamping said blade, and an adjustable extension on said guard member for spacing 'said guard Inemberand said cap member a desired dis tance apart, said extension passing through the perforation of the blade and leaving the latter free to be flexed by the cap and guard members. T

3. A safety razor comprising,in combination, a blade adapted to be transversely flexed when clamped in shaving position, cap and guard members for clamping said blade, and an adjustable extension on eachend of said guard member for spacing said guard member a desired distance from said cap memher, said blade having clearance openings registering with said extension.

4. A safety razor comprising, in combination, a blade adapted to be transversely flexed when clamped in shaving position, cap and guardniembers for clamplng sald blade, and a member threaded mto one of said members bers for spacing said members a desired dis-' V and contacting with the other of said mem- I 

